In Kyrgyzstan, it has been proposed to make attendance at theaters and museums compulsory for youth
In Kyrgyzstan, it has been proposed to introduce a mandatory subscription system for school pupils and university students to visit theatres, philharmonics, and museums.
According to the project, each pupil and student will be required to visit performances or concerts at theatrical and entertainment institutions twice a year, and museums twice a year. Thus, a total of four cultural visits per year will be established for one person.
According to calculations, an average of 300 soms will be allocated for one visit to a theatre or philharmonic. For two visits a year, this will amount to 600 soms. For two visits to a museum, another 200 soms is envisaged — 100 soms for each visit. According to the Time.kg publication, the state plans to spend 800 soms per year for one pupil or student.
"The program is expected to cover 1,536,633 school pupils, 187,000 university students, and 98,000 students of secondary specialized educational institutions. The total annual cost will be approximately 1.46 billion soms," the report says.
Visits to cultural institutions are planned to be free of charge for pupils and students. The expenses will be covered annually from the republican budget. The funds will be allocated by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Innovation.
The ministries will keep records based on the lists of those who visited theatres and museums. The money can be transferred directly to the accounts of cultural institutions or allocated to pupils and students through digital mechanisms. It is also planned to involve the organization managing the "Elkart" payment system in the implementation of the project.
The authors of the initiative cited the growing addiction to the internet and electronic games among young people as one of the reasons for its introduction. The program aims to engage young people in museums, drama and puppet theatres, music, opera, ballet, and circus arts.